Sunday, July 31, 2011

Mrs. Bainbridge is hosting a linky party about snack time! Head on over to her website and see how she does snack and others! What kid doesn't love snack time? (ok maybe the kid who is really picky!) Snack time seems to be a focus for some of my kiddos!

Here's how I've done snack in the past--On our supply list we ask that each student bring in 3 boxes of snack at the beginning of the year. Of course there are some kids who don't but it's not that many. We are a Title 1 school but most kids bring the supplies. I even bring a big costco bag of pretzels or something like it. Then I usually just pick from there for snack and hand it out to kiddos. We usually do it around our recess time, either before or after (depending on our schedule). One thing our school was lucky to have the past 2 years was a healthy snack provided for the kids. So 4 days a week we would have different fruits or vegetables. This was great for most kids (not the picky ones!). There were some times that they sent some unusual fruits and vegetables (like chopped up cabbage?) It just didn't even look fulfilling! SO usually we'd have healthy snack, unless it was strange and I know most kids won't eat it, then we'd have something from our stash! Also during snack I have let the kids talk and enjoy themselves BUT I also have read to them (it was suggested I do this by my principal) so I would go back and forth between reading a story and letting them chit chat!

SO for this year I have been thinking I want to revamp my snack time a little. One way is to have students pass out the snack so I don't have to. Actually they do pass out the healthy snack but when it's crackers, I use a cup to and make sure my hands are clean...some kids aren't very good about keeping their hands clean while passing out food--(something we work on!) So I've been thinking of using the smaller dixie cups and maybe letting them scoop out a snack for themselves or have my helper do it. Also I'm not sure if we have healthy snack this coming year. I'm still working out my thoughts on this. I'll probably still do some read alouds but also give them some chat time. I'm also thinking of possibly having snack available most of the morning so if a kid needs something to eat they can grab it. We have quite a few kids are free/reduced and even some of those kids are late to school and miss out on breakfast. I'm sure they'll all want snack in the beginning but really, after the novelty, those who need it, will use it. So it's another idea I'm toying with.

OH and around Feb. we begin doing our geometry unit and I have kids sign up to bring in a snack that is a certain shape/solid figure....I make a list of the possibilities and then they get to choose. So I'll have cheese cubes, mini marshmallows, juice boxes, square crackers, circle crackers, triangle chips, grapes, etc...you get the idea...this actually really helps make sure I don't run out of snack. I then use these snacks to reinforce flat surfaces, vertices and edges as well as solid figures vs. plane figures. They love the snacks and it's fun to do cheese and crackers or something salty with something sweet.

I think that pretty much sums up my snack time. I really do like that they bring in boxes at the beginning of the year. This way I don't have to worry too much about running out. And if I do run out, I just send home a note saying we need some. Usually a few parents will help out if they can.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

I've been spending a lot of mornings in my classroom the past week or so and I'm finally feeling like I'm making substantial progress! I'm waiting for some shelves to be put in a "closet" area and my custodian hasn't put the work order in yet! UGH! So I'm down to just a few boxes which will be unpacked when those shelves are put in! So the last few days, I've emptied boxes I could and am really REALLY trying to get organized so I can start the year off with everything in place! (ha ha) Here's a few things I accomplished:

I added my "minutes" to my clock! I wonder what I could plug into the outlet that high on the wall??

Just a close up...I have the words "quarter past" "half past" and "quarter to"

The cleanest desk I've ever had!!! I'm sure it won't look like that when school starts (or in a day or two). I really struggle with keeping a clean desk BUT it's a goal for next year!

I hope this helps with organizing and a clean desk! I usually have piles of papers everywhere and forget to file stuff.

Our calendar! We usually count the days but try to work on 10 more and 10 less, odd/even and money.

We practice writing money with cent signs and dollar signs and then I have money with magnets and we make that amount.

I had a few other things done but forgot to take pictures--Everyday I feel like I'm making progress so I'll keep going until it's done! My next area is to organize my math stations and manipulatives which is a big pile right now! I've also been working on some pinterest projects--I'll post those soon!

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Christina Bainbridge hit 300 followers and is doing a giveaway of her flippy books! Head on over to her blog, check it out and follow her! She has great ideas! Also she has a classroom website that also has great teaching ideas!

Friday, July 22, 2011

Well I am making progress on my new classroom. It sure is tricky finding places for everything, especially when I love stuff and just went garage saling today and found more stuff! I'm addicted to a good deal but I'm trying to get better :) So I have about month left to finish my room which I hope to have it looking good next week! One of my co-workers even commented "it looks like a classroom down here"

Somewhere over there, my desk awaits me! It's still kind of buried as I'm waiting for some shelves to be put in.

The front of the room and my rug area--Still have lots of little things and few boxes to put away!

My big bookcase against the wall and my student computers are over there somewhere too!

Another shot of the font with my piled high kidney table

My Bucket Fillers!!! Well the beginning of them...I'm a sporadic unpacker! Oh and my lovely sink that I'm so excited about!

Notice there were no pictures of the hallway--yep ALL my stuff is in the classroom and the hallway is cleared! Just means my classroom is more cluttered for now :)

Next week I should have more of my stuff hidden put away! It's exciting that it's coming altogether and I do feel proud of my progress!

I just still need to get student desks and well, I hope those fit! And if those do fit I hope 20 little 2nd graders fit :)

Thursday, July 21, 2011

So I've been busy moving my classroom this summer and I am finally feeling like it's coming together...My school is a little over 100 years old. There is a basement, first floor and the upstairs-which is unbearable in the heat! Who am I kidding, our whole school is unbearable in the heat (except the basement!) Well with the addition of a 3rd grade and a new 2nd grade teacher coming, I volunteered to to move to this basement classroom (which was formally the music room--she's now on carts on all 3 levels!!) I just felt bad for a new teacher coming in and being separated from everyone else...I'm in the basement with Title 1 teachers, and the library and the bathrooms!! (Our bathrooms are ONLY in the basement) Anyways, here are my before pictures of my room and the hallway with ALL my stuff!

From the doorway to the front of the room

I have a sink in my room!!! It's one of the few rooms that has a sink!!! BONUS! This the back of the room looking in from the door.

This is from the window side looking towards the doorway and right side of the room.

Here is the back for the room looking from the front of room. As you can probably see we have NO storage in our rooms. There is 1 closet to the back right and then 2 cubby like closets in the back! That is where the coats hooks SHOULD go BUT my coat hooks were newly installed in the hallway and they look nice!

Here is a view of the hallway with all my stuff!

More stuff!! I love stuff!

Here is a view from across the way of my stuff--My classroom is straight ahead!

I filled the hallway but it's now empty of my stuff (well except for the empty boxes!). It feels good to have it all out of the hall. However now it's all in my room!! I've got an update just around the corner of how it looks now! I'm glad we have about a month left to get it all together!!

About Me

Hi all! My name is Stacee and I'm a second grade teacher in Billings, MT. I love my job and put tons of time into it. (Don't we all?) I love finding new ideas for my classroom however, I suck at organizing. I have 3 dogs and 2 cats. I'm an animal lover and if I could rescue them all I would.